Signaling mechanism.



c. E. BEACH. SIGNALING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 19 12.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

circuit as well as when opening it.

Aries agrnu'r crates.

CLARENCE Er BEACH, or BINGHAMTON', XORK, ASSIGNOR To GEORGE 0. KNAPP,

'' or NEW YORK, N. Y.

SIGNALING MECHANISM;

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1 73 913.

To all whom it may concern B'e'it' known that I, CLARENCE E. BEACH, residing at Binghamton, in the county of Brooms and 'State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Signaling-lVlechanisrn, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to signaling mecha' nis'rnfpartichlarly to'signal formulating and controlling mechanism for signaling apparatus such as fire alarm boxes.

In signaling apparatils such as fire alarm boxes the" signal formulating mechanism usually comprises a signal wheel, circuit controlling springs; and signal levers cooperating w'ith the'tecth and notches on the signal wheel'tocontrol openingand closure of the springs, the teeth and notches on the signal wheel being arrangedhnaccordance with a signal numberas is well understood in the art. It is very desirable, in order'to effectively' control the signaling circuit and to revent false signaling, that the contact springs act instantaneously when closing the As the sigiialnumber otthe'boxes may have to be cliang'edat tinresit is'desirable that the con st'ructio'n be such that signal wheels. representing-aiiynhnibers may be interchange box wn'aeur requiring adjustment oi-"reconstruction or replacing 0t. the-signal'levers; In Patent No. 949,099 issued'Feb. 15,1910, to C. E. Beachand H. W. Doughty, anarrange'ment of signal controlling inechaiusm is illustrated in which two'contact levers cooperate with a signal wheel to effect instantaneous make and break of the signaling circuit but in this arrangement'if another signal wheel representing a different-number is to be substituted it will require" reconstruction oi the signal levers or else the" iiista'llatioii of diifercnt signal levers "for cooperating with the new signal wheel. l n'PatentNo. 621,093 issued March 1- 1899 to J. Johnson, is disclosed a signaling mechanism ln'which the signaling lever cooperates with a signal wheel and with circuit contacts and in this arrangement a signnlingwlieel representing any number and ofeitlierthe'opcn or closed type, can be installed without requiring a ny change in the'lsignaling'lever. The detect,

howeveriin the are 'g'ement of this patent.

be 'instantaiieous'fthe closures of the circuit is that"whflethebpenings'of the circuit will .with a driving, train therefor,

final wheel mechanism will he gradual and slow, and practice has dtnuonstrated that with the arrangement of thls patent, false signals are apt to be given.

One of the important objects of my in vention is to produce improved construction and arrangement of signal formulating mechanism whichwill combine thedesirable features of the two patents referred to, so that makes as well as breaks of the circuit will be instantaneous and so that one set of signaling levers or keys will be adaptable for efficient cooperation with signal wheels representing widely varying numbers, and whether of the open orthe closed type.

Another object of the invention is to provide such improved construction for the sig nal wheel that adjustment can readily'be made for timing the periods of closure.

Another object of my invention to simpliiiy the constructhm and cheapen the cost of manufacture of signal formulating mechanism arranged to produce makes as well as breaks of the circuit instantaneously by malting the corresponding 'gnalinglevers of all bones alike.

Another" object of my invention is toproduce improved constriurtion and arrangement of signal formulating mechanism which will produce a maximum relative movement of the signaling contacts so as to provide a large break gap after each closure and yet be capable of brine operated by means of a signal wheel of small diameter and having com'parativciy shallow notches.

Another object of my invention is to provide such construction and arrangcment ot signalformulating uurchauism as will pro duce instantaneous action in closing a circuit and instantaneous action in breaking a circuit, and provide a large break gap after each closure upon the expenditure of a minimum amount of'encrgy in driving the signal wheel.

The various lcaturcs of my invention, both as to construction and operation are clearly illustrated on the :urcompanying sheet of drawings in which-'- Figur-c l is a front elevational view of: a 'l i,-a1m-. work supporting circuit controlling and signal formulating mcclnmism. together Fig. 2 is a front elcvational view of one part of the sigand one of the signaling levers associated therewith, Fig. 3 is a front ole-rational view of lhc signalwhcel mechanism showing the parts in another relative position, Fig. 4 is a front elevational view-of one part of the signaling wheel and its associated signaling lever and cont-act in relative'position corresponding to that of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a view like Fig. 3 showing another relative position of the various parts, Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4:. but showing the relative position corresponding with Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is a plan view of the upper contact spring, Fig. 8 is a plan view'of the lower contact spring, Fig. 9 is a plan view of the signaling levers.

The frame-work 10 journals a shaft 12 carrying a hub 13 on which are mounted front and rear signal wheel. parts 14 and 15. The power shaft 16 is connected with a driving spring 17 and carries a gear 18 which is connected through a suitable driving train 19 with the signal wheel shaft 12 in a manher well understood in the art. The front part is of the signal wheel structure has its periphery broken by notches a in accordance with the signal number, in this case 21, and the back signal wheel structure number likewise has its periphery broken by notches 7) arranged in accordance with the signal number 21,.the two signal wheel parts having a relative arrangement on supporting hub 13which will be described later.

Pivoted on a stud 20 extending forwardly from the frame .10 are the front and rear signaling levers 21 and 22. The front sig naling lever has a point 23 extending downwardly therefrom to cooperate with the teeth and notches of the front part 14 of the signal wheel, and the rear lever 22 has a point 24 extending downwardly therefrom for cooperating with the, teeth and notches of the rear part 15 of the signal wheel structure.

Mounted on the supporting frame 10 above the signaling levers is a block 24s of insulating material to whose lower side is secured the contact spring 25 and to whose top is secured the contact spring 26. In Figs. 7 and 8 the form of these springs is plainly shown. The-lower spring spreads at its end to provide a notch 27 and arms 28 and 28 for supporting contact points 29 and 29 respectively. The end of the upper spring 26 deflects downwardly and has its end 30 substantially arallel with the end of the lower, spring ,an carries contact plates 31 and 31 for-cooperating with the contact points 29 and 29 on the lower spring. The

' front lever 21 has at its end the rear exten sion 32 supporting the vertical sleeve 33 in which is secured the stud 34 -of insulating material; The rear signalinglever 22 has a front extension'35 at its end supporting the vertical sleeve 36 in which is secured a stud 37 of insulating material. The stud of the front signaling lever isishcwn as being rear signaling lever and is adapted to extend through the slot 27 of the lower contact spring to cooperate with the upper contact spring. The contact stud 37 on the rear signaling lever cooperates with the lower contact spring at the left of the slot 27 therein.

The front and rear parts of the signal wheel structure are relatively arranged so that the notches of the one will be substantially adjacent the solid port-ions or teeth of the other, the wheel shown being so arranged that when the point of either signaling lever is in a-not'ch, the point of the other signaling lever will be on a toothand duringthe greater part of the signaling operation, the springs 26 and 25 will be held apart, even though the points carried by levers 21 and; 22 are both supported by teeth, but the arrangement of teeth and notches may be varied in many combinationsso'long as the relationof notches and teeth is. such that whenever the point of either lever drops from the tooth into a notch, the other-lever aps during thetransmission of a signal, if the teeth and notches are so proportioned that whenever the movement of the signal wheel withdraws a tooth from supporting the lever'22, the inclined advancing end of a tooth will have raised the lever 21 to'a point where it will only permit the spring 26 to follow the downward movement of the spring 25 a've slight distance, and the spring 25 will there-' after he raised into very close proximity to the spring 26 before spring 26 is released by the point 23 of the lever 21 falling into its next notch. When the contact springs are entirely free of the signaling levers they will both be down; and separated and when the signaling levers-are associated with the springs the front lever will cooperate with the top spring and the rear signaling lever will cooperate'with the lower s ring to effect instantaneous opening and-c osure of the springs. In Fig. 1 the mechanism is shown in normal position. The pointofthe front signaling lever isjclose to the, crest of the first toot-h 25 of the front. signal wheel part, I

. while the point of the rear signaling lever is close to the trailing edge of the-,last tooth r of the rear partof the signal wheel a distance tothe right of the stud on the 1 structure, the contact springs being closed.

newness When the boxis started the signal wheel parts will rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon. hen the signal wheel starts to rotate the first tooth t of the front part 14: is carried toward the point of the front signaling lever and this signaling lever is raised to carry its stud 3e closer to the end of the upper spring, but not into on gagement therewith. While this is taking place the end of the last tooth I f lhe rear part 15 of the signal-wheel structure is bemg carried away from the point of the rear signaling lever and this signaling lever will drop just before the front lever reaches its uppermost positioiuand the lower spring will drop. The upper spring normally held up. by the lower spring will tend to follow the low-er spring when the lower spring is thus released, but the stud of the front signalinglever, being directly below the upper spring, will receive this spring before it has traveled very far and when the downward movement of the upper spring is thus suddenly blocked the springs will be instantly separated and the circuit instantly broken, and we will then have the relative positions indicated. in Fig. 3, and these conditions will be maintained as long as the point of-the front signaling lever engages on tooth t and the point of the rear signaling wheel is riding on the bottom of the notch 6 Fig. 2 more clearly shows the normal position of the rear signaling lever, and Fig. 4 shows the position thereof and of the lower con tact spring shortly after the box has started.

In Fig, 5 are shown the relative positions of the levers and springs just before the trailing end of the tooth 25 reaches the point 23, of the front signaling lever and just before the top of the first tooth r of the signal wheel rear part is brought under the point 2% of the rearsignaling lever, the relative position of the signal wheel rear part and the associated signaling lever and spring being more clearly shown in Fig. 6. As soon as the incline at the leading end of the tooth r engages with the point of the rear signaling lever this lever will be raised, to carry its stud 37 into engagement with the lower spring 25 to carry this spring toward the upper contact spring held up by the front signaling lever and at about the time or just before the point 24 reaches the crest of the tooth r the second notch a of the signal wheel part 14: will come under the point of the front signaling lever and this signaling lever will suddenly drop, and the upper con tact spring being thus released will immediately drop onto the lower contact spring which is being held in its uppermost position or is being just carried into its upper mostposition by the tooth 17, so that the circnit-controlled by the contact springs instantly. closed. This closed position of the springs will be maintained .tvhile the front and rear lovers are cooperating respectively inclined advancing end of the tooth t comes into engagement with the front controlling lever this lever will be raised to carry its stud 3-l into position below the upper spring ready to block this spring when the lower spring is released as the point of the rear contact lever drops into the notch of the signal wheel part l5, this breaking operation being the same as took place when the first break was made. Thus directly precedent to each opening of the circuit the trout signaling lever is in position to block the upper spring so that the lower spring may suddenly break the circuit, and directly bo fore each closure the rear signaling lever is raiscdto bring the lower contact spring into position to receive the upper contact spring when the front signaling lever suddenly drops. The front part l i of the signal wheel structure therefore controls by its notches the lengths of the closures. and by .with slots and the tooth 1' and when the its teeth controls the blocking of the upper spring for the openings,-whilc the back part of the wheel structure controls the lengths of the openings by its notches, and by its teeth controls the blocking of the lower spring for the closures. it is evident that the lengths of the openings and closures may be controlled by the relative lengths of the various teeth and notches.

Fig. 2 illustrates substantially one prior art arrangement, as for example in the Johnson patent refer-red to. The signaling lever 22 whose vibration is controlled by the signal wheel part 15. will cause instantaneous opening of the contact springs but will cll'cct only gradual closure thereof. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 the circuit would be closed between number groups and between rounds, but it is evident that by proper notching of the wheel the circuit could be caused to be open during these pericds. In other words, either the closed or the open type wheel could be associated with the lever 22. In the arrangement of Fig. 1 the additional-wheel part 14.- and the additional contact lever 21 are provided, and the wheel parts could be properly notched to cause closure lctween number groups and between rounds instead of opening of the circuit during these periods, 2'. 0., either the open or the closed type wheel structure could be used in connection with the controlling levers and the contact: springs, and in either case the contact closure as well as the opening would be instantaneous. In practice the interval between the number groups and the interval between rounds bear a fixed relation to the unit interval, which unit interval is considered as comprising one signal tooth and one notch. For example. it in any wheel the unit interval were considered as 1, the interval between number groups may be 2% and the interval between rounds may be 6%, and in all the boxes connected in the line this relationship would be maintained. Where the box num'beris small, the signal teeth and the spaces between signaltooth groups and between rounds would be long.

' Where the her: number is large, as for ex-- ample 999, the signal teeth would be short and the distances between rounds would likewise be short. However, the periods of time durin which these teeth or spaces would bee ective is made uniformfor the ration inthe'various boxes.

various boxes by adjusting the speed of the box running trains. -The signal closures and the pauses between number groups and be-.

tween rounds are thus of the same time du- In the Beach and -Doughty patent, already referred to, where. two signaling levers are associated With-a single signal wheel, the widths of the lever oints control the length of the closed periods of the signal for any particular Wheel, and .it is apparent, that if a new wheel is to be substituted in. a box, the signaling lever points must be correspondingly increasedor decreased inwidth so that for.

every change in circuit wheels the levers must be changed or new levers installed. In

my improved arrangement where two signal wieel parts, or their equivalents, are provided, so that each of the signaling levers will be controlled by a series of teeth and notches adapted to cause its proper vibra tion in relation to the other signaling lever the signal wheel may be adjusted for the proper length of closure periods, and one set of signaling levers will cooperate'with signal wheel structures representing any numbers and of either the open-or the closed type,

and the closed interval may be arranged to represent any desire portion of the total interval from one stroke to the next. This is, of course, ofdecided commercial advantagefor various reasons. With the old way, if the box number is to be changed it would be necessary to eithership the box back to the fact-ory so that a new wheel could be ap plied and new signal levers installed or the old signaling levers changed, or itwould be necessary-to send new signaling levers and a new Wheel to'the'usen, The same would be true-if the speed of the box was to be so altered as to make it desirable that the closed circuit intervals should bear a diflerent re-' lationto. theinterval between strokes of a signal in order to obtain the most etficient action otthe'ndagnets of non-interference devices and signal sounding or recording de-.

vices in circuit with the box. With my improved arrangement the user can employ signal wheels with difl'erent numbers or different relative periods of closure, to provide.- for all desired changes of speed or signal numbers, and can efiect all'suchchanges by its place.

springs constructed in accordance'witha-the Patent No. 621,093 to J ohnson,it is-evid'ent ing contacts may be operated with-equal efliciency if the -co ntacts .are of the form signaling lever points. I

be limited to the particular construction and arrangement shown. and described herein and V .I claim the following:

1. In signalingmechanism the combina-, tion of a'signal member having two sets of the same signal number, two signaling levers each cooperating with one of said sets of ,ance with the signal number, and circuit controlling 1 contacts controlled by said levers to be alternately opened and closed instantaneously. a

2. In signaling mechanism the combination of aAsignal wheel having teeth and notches about its periphery at one side thereof and teeth andnotches about its periphery on the opposite side, the. teeth and notches -signal.number and the teeth'and notches on notches on the other side, two signal levers each adapted for cooperation with the teeth and notches on one :side of the wheel to be vibrated in accordance with thesi'gnal number, and circuit controlling contacts controlled conjointly by said levers to ;alternately open and close the circuit.

tion of a signalvvheel composed of two con; centric sections each notched. inaccordance with the signal number, one of said sections being angularly off-set in relation to the other section, a signallever for each section cooperating with the teeth and notches thereof, and circuit controlling contacts conmerely taking out a given wheel structure .jointly'controlled said levers.

While I have slioivn circuit controlling that in using my invention the circuit break-" Modifications and changes are, ofcourse, possible which will still come within the scope of myinvention and I do not desire to teeth and notches and each set representing on each side being in accordance with the and. applying the desired wheel structure. in I shown in Patent N o. 94:9,699 to Doughty and I teeth and notches to beactuated in acc'ordone side being ofi'set relative to the teeth and.

1 3. In signaling mechanism the combina LOVELBS-it et. in signaling mechanism the combination of a, signal Wheel eon'iprising two concentric smtions each notched nnrl toothed in accordance with the signal number and. one of Sttld sections being off-set unguhn'ly relative to the other section so that the teeth of one section are opposite notches of the other section, two signal levers each (:0 operating with the teeth and notches of one section to be yibrnted in necomhmce with the signal number, and circuit controlling eon mots eoniointly eontrolled by said vibrnb ingi lovers to alternately and instantsneonsly open and. close the circuit to be controlled thereby.

in signaling mechanism the combination of it signal wheel having teeth nml. notches slung its periphery representing the signal number, contact springs, a transmitting member tohperating with sold eoutnol springs end with said teeth and notches, cooperation of said transmitting; member with the teeth of said wheel causing closure o i said spring? and cooperation of said thus rnitl'ing member with they notohvs of suirl wheel g siapnrutitm of said springs, both springs tending to more with Si lll trmismittin number upon eoi'iperntiou oi said .u'nrnibvr with. the signal wheel uolvlus n seconi'l signal wheel lmringg notches and teeth along its periphery to represent the signnl numbeiq n transmitting member for eoopersting with the teeth and notches of said second. signal wheel zuul 'l'or eoiiporot ing with one of sniil contact springs. suiil seeoml tfnnsn'iitting member being iu'lniiiteil when in cooper: tion with teeth oi the second signal Whool to bloek the movement of the associated eontmj-t spring upon release ol. the springs by tho first trimsn'iitt-iug' member, and said. ",oncl transmitting member serringj when cooperating; with notches of the seeiim jl siggi'ml wheel to release its nssoointml conflict springs at n time when said Contact springs are being moved toward each other by the first transmitting member.

6. In sigi'uiling mechanism the combiniv tion oil? signal formulating member hnving, two of teeth and. notches, ench set of teeth and notches being spaced in ncoord- HIH'Q with :1 sigoul number. two signal. levers iivol'ecl nil n common point null ouch having :1 point .l'or cooper-mine; with at set of teeth and him-ho; oiul substuulinlly wuiirlistnnt front the pivot point of Htiltl liu'ors, ouch tooth lul /lop; :lll inirlineil. nailing owl and no nbru it trailing; end and the trailing ends of tho teeth o1 one set purtly overlapping the Abrupt nulls of the t oth oi the other set, and ci'intziot springs controlled roi'ijointly by Silltl love us to open and close cirmit to be i :outlollotl.

7. in rating umrlumisln the combinetion oi :t iga nnl lnmnher (HlITlPOSEtl of two mrnilol sm-tions ouch llOlIllQl'l in accordance with the signal number, one of snirl sections being: nrlvnuoml in relntion to the other see lion, :1, signal lover :l'oi' 13:1(h seetion eooperntingg' therewith, :unl oireuit controlling eon hu ls mmioinily (rullll'fillOd by said lovers.

8. in signaling uu'rhnuisu'i the v'oml' iun.- tion of :1 signal member having two sets of tooth and uolnlurs, (Itllll representing the some signal number, two signaling levers siuuilhiueously eoi'murniiug witb'sniil seciionsx :rml vii-(hit controllingcontacts conjoinll'p ii/ml' llml by wi l lorors,

H. in ;-:i;;'n:1liu 1,; nu-vhnuislu, u si g nnl member :1 ol' lll'lll :uui nohrh s in snifil mom her. the tooth oi" Wllltil set are arranged to ropreswui he viii-nit dos-uro- :uul tho notches rim-nil iil'tulfi ol' :2 .ngi'uol, swoml set of teeth illlll uoivhrs in snhl sin'unl iuoiubviu the lculll ol suiil Silfillhl sol: boinn" arranged to represent rirouii. luiulis nml the notches oiruuil olosurw of lhe sumo signal, two signaling; lovers wu'h r-oiipor: ting; with one of said sets of tooth nnil uolnhos, :1 pair of mutants :rospooliwly roulrolled by sniil levers, snid rouhms being so ii-onslruotml :uul nrrnugri'icl with mini ion to the s ,g'nnling lovers that the bro; lis uml closures of the routzirls will be loruiulutml by lho i-o-nvtion of both sets of tooth :uul non-hos oi. the signal nuuubvr.

lu wiluoss whereof, l hereunto subscribe my mum, this i l l'h lay of hlay A. 1)., 1912.

(llnillltlNCllil F. BEACH.

\Vil uossvs:

l). W'. JoimsoN, ii. if. .llUl/l'ON. 

